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Mantis-Ivory Kingdoms War
The Mantis-Ivory Kingdoms War was a conflict between the Mantis Clan and the Ivory Kingdoms that ran concurrent to the War of Spirits. The war began when Yoritomo Aramasu was reviewing his clan's trade with gaijin nations, of which he had recently become aware. Aramasu was surprised to find that a certain group within the Ivory Kingdoms, the Cult of Ruhmal were building a massive war fleet to invade Rokugan. Strangers, by Rich Wulf Mantis sail to the Ivory Kingdoms In 1147 Imperial Histories, p. 222 Aramasu went to Emperor Toturi I with the news. Toturi authorized the Mantis to attack the Ivory Kingdoms, but told Aramasu that the war must be hidden from the rest of the Empire, as the news that Rokugan was fighting on two fronts, the other being the armies of Hantei XVI, would be devastating to morale. Toturi gave Aramasu all the funds he could spare to accomplish his mission. Planning Aramasu crafted a strategic plan with three objectives. To determine the exact nature of the threat, to draw the threat out and then, neutralize it so it no longer posed a danger to Rokugan. Sword and Fan, p. 32 Cult of Ruhmal Aramasu learned from his smuggling contacts that the Ruhmalists had infiltrated many of the Ivory Kingdoms Kshatriya, that nation's equivalent of clans. Tsuruchi spies were sent to determine exactly where these infiltrations were occuring. Once this was known Aramasu had the Tsuruchi, Moshi shugenja, and Yoritomo samurai and sailors perform guerilla raids against the infiltrated houses and leave false evidence indicating rival houses so that the various kshatriya would not become suspicious and unite against the Mantis. The Mantis determined that one kshatriya, House Suresh was not infiltrated at all and became their allies in secret. The Suresh aided the Mantis in their efforts. Open War Finally, after having caused much damage to the Ruhmalists, Aramasu permitted the most infiltrated kshatriya, House Rafiq, to learn of his aggressions. Enraged, the leader of the Rafiq navy, Balyezn Rafiq sailed against the Mantis. The Mantis met the fleet and boarded their enemy rather than face superior ships and naval numbers. Balyezn was killed and Aramasu offered terms of surrender to the remaining ships: allow the Mantis to have a number of their ships and be free to sail back to the Ivory Kingdoms. Aramasu moved to the Ivory Kingdoms Finally, Aramasu sailed to the Ivory Kingdoms with his own fleet and parlayed with their ruler, the Maharaja, from his ship while the Maharaja stood at his own port with the heads of his houses. Aramasu accused the head of House Rafiq, Feydn Rafiq of leading the Ruhmalists. Feydn denied the charges and angrily challenged Aramasu to personal combat, but was felled by a Tsuruchi arrow to the heart at one-thousand paces. End of the War Shockingly, Aramasu then surrendered to the Maharajah and offered the ruler all of the information he had gathered on the Ruhmalist's activities. This led to an alliance with the Ivory Kingdoms as the Mantis and the Maharajah's forces hunted down and destroyed the remnants of the Cult of Ruhmal. The campaign had lasted three years. Imperial Histories, p. 228 Secrecy in Rokugan Although the war was a secret, it was eventually known to some outside of the Mantis and Toturi I, namely: Akodo Ijiasu, Doji Kurohito, Hida Hitoshi, Kakita Munemori, Konetsu, Kaneka and Toturi II, among others. Participants The following is a partial list of notable participants in the Mantis-Ivory Kingdoms War: * Balyezn Rafiq * Feydn Rafiq * Rama Singh * Sumukar * Yoritomo Komori * Yoritomo Aramasu Casualties The following is a partial list of notable casualties of the Mantis-Ivory Kingdoms War: * Balyezn Rafiq * Feydn Rafiq * Kasuga Kemmei The Legion of the Dead: The Tortoise Sage * Sumukar Ivory Kingdoms Ivory Kingdoms